Mark Wells White, Jr. was born in Henderson, Texas on March 17, 1940. He attended
Houston public schools and Baylor University, earning a bachelor's degree in
business administration in 1962 and a law degree from Baylor Law School in 1965.
White worked briefly in a private legal practice in Houston before serving three
years as an Assistant Attorney General. In 1969, he returned to Houston to a private
practice until 1973 when Governor Dolph Briscoe appointed him Secretary of State.

White resigned as Secretary of State in October 1977 in order to run for Attorney
General. After being elected and serving as Attorney General from 1979 to 1983, he
ran against and defeated Governor Bill Clements in the 1982 governor's race.
Governor Mark White served as head of the state from January 18, 1983 to January 20,
1987.

During his term in office, White focused his energies on education reform (HB 72,
including no-pass/no-play) and utility rate regulation. White also concentrated on
economic development and the appointment of minorities to positions on his staff and
in the government. Texas' Sesquicentennial occurred in 1986, and the Governor
attended and hosted a number of events. The Goddess of Liberty atop the Texas Capitol was restored and
planning for Capitol restoration began during White's term in office.

White was defeated by Clements in the 1986 election and returned to private life
after his term ended in January 1987. He ran for governor in the Democratic primary
in 1990 but lost to Ann Richards. Mark White and his wife Linda Gale Thompson have
two sons and a daughter.

Source: University of Texas
[http://www.laits.utexas.edu/txp_media/html/exec/governors/29.html]